Hell's March pt.3 [Chapter XIX]

[Garrus Vakarian]

It wasn't the divine power at her fingertips that made Miracle the most dangerous person on the field. It was her obsession over seeing to his own end that made her the most dangerous person here and Noob Saibot knew an obsessed opponent was the worst one you could ever face. Seeing that the black hole has managed to do so little against the Aircano forces Noob had no choice but to retreat back into the portal returning home to the Netherrealm, the portal closing as soon as he passed through it.

[Miracle]

Miracle's eyes widened in a panic as she saw the object of her obsession begin to move out of her reach, retreating back to the hell which bore him.

"No you don't! Not yet you don't!"

The High Priestess ran as fast as her legs could carry her and then faster than that. Pushing the envelope through strength of will, determination and flat out obsession with divine intervention. Her faith in the LORD never wavered, not once, and as such it made her stronger. And just as the portal to the Netherrealm was starting to close, Miracle threw herself at it. Small enough to slip through mere seconds before the portal closed off completely cutting herself off from the others and plunging into the depths of hell itself all for the chance to rid the world of her best friend's killer.

[Alex]

It was Alex's turn to look on to the sight before her in a panic as she saw the High Priestess passing through the dimensional rift that led directly into the Netherrealm, closing soon after preventing the rest of them from following through. It seemed the Netherrealm has decided to retreat from this part of the city but they had lost their nation's leader in the process.

"Miracle, you fool..."

There were still other rifts they could take among the fighting going on west of here but Alex couldn't leave Aircano like this. She fought her way through the remaining chaosrealmers to where Jehanne was left behind and spoke.

"Go after her. There should still be rifts further on west of the barricade you can take. Just find her and bring her back. Kicking and screaming if you have to."

[Sparda]

From the air, Byakuya watched the leader of this front of the Netherrealm forces retreat to their infernal home - and gazed with interest and mild, quiet worry as the young priestess who had set him so firmly on the back foot dived headlong through the portal after him. Her allies scrambled to collect themselves, and as the Shinigami descended, he overheard Alex's order to the young Jehanne to find this Miracle character and rescue her.

"All the same," Byakuya added calmly, addressing Alex. He touched down beside her, his right hand resting upon the hilt of his Zanpakuto. "This detachment of their army just decapitated itself. Now is the perfect opportunity to destroy them before they recover from the loss of their leadership."

He widened his stance, fixed a trio of oncoming Shokan with a simply deadly stare; and a sudden powerful tremor underfoot stopped the advancing Netherrealm soldiers in their tracks. The very ground began to tremble as Byakuya's reiatsu strengthened drastically, becoming so dense that the air itself seemed weighed down by the Shinigami's immense spiritual pressure. Many of the Chaosrealmers, and even a few shokan, shook with fear as they looked upon the source of this colossal, literally suffocating power.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

His grip tightened and he began to draw his sword. But as the blade came into view, it shone with a bright pink luminescence and began to disintegrate as it was produced. With a broad flourish, Byakuya unleashed the unstoppable Shikai release of his Zanpakuto, the blade separating into a thousand tiny fragments that rode the air around him. One of the shokan before him uttered a roar and charged at the black-haired Captain...

With the briefest flick of his wrist, Byakuya sent the shokan's death to meet it. There was a barely noticed flash of light, the flutter of blades like sakura petals on the breeze - and the shokan's body fell apart, its head and all six limbs cloven from its torso in an instant. With another sweep of his arm, the hand still holding onto the hilt of his weapon, Byakuya sent the thousand blades of his Shikai sweeping into the Netherrealm ranks to eviscerate still more of their foes.

[Sincara]

With Aircano and Byakuya taking care of most of the chaosrealmers the unmanned tanks and Kari ground units had been ordered to act solely as backup for the time being. Meanwhile the Firehawks went to work shooting down the remaining aerial beasts at this part of the barricade before making their way to sectors A and B of Barricade I as White Queen reported to Kain.

"Sector C of Barricade I has been secured. Rerouting all available resources into securing Sector A and B while maintaining defense of Sector C. The Netherrealm will not make it past the first barricade."

[Jehanne]

"Miracle!"

Jehanne lunged herself at the portal in after Miracle but by then it was too late. The portal had closed and the Knight in Training hit the ground face first. Groaning in pain and spitting up dirt before pulling herself up to her feet, just in time for Alex to approach her giving her her new orders. Jehanne merely nodded at the command and spare only a moment's glance to Byakuya having little time to speak as she turned and ran to find the nearest remaining portal to the Netherrealm.

Hold on, Miracle. I'm coming.

[Ashley]

At the sight of their enemy retreating Phebe began to rejoice but that rejoice soon faded when her eyes bore witness to the High Priestess following him into hell.

"Miracle, no!"

She was filled in on Solomon's death before this fight, knowing full well it was the shadow warrior who led to his demise. But why would the High Priestess put herself in harm's way for revenge? That didn't seem like the child at all. Phebe provided support to the Aircano forces as they went to work, assisting the elimination of the remaining chaosrealmers until the only thing remaining was Aircano, Kari, Utopia and the kind stranger who has been helping them all this time. When the course was cleared Phebe ran up to the two and looked at Alex.

"Miracle... Why would she...? What are your orders, My Lady?"

[Alex]

Alex didn't bother answering Phebe's first question as she saw Jehanne off. Everyone knew why, that was obvious. It was Alex's fear that her quest for vengeance may lead her down a path that even she will be unable to come back from if left to her own devices. As for the priestess' other question.

"We wait here until we're needed. There's a chance the demon army can still return and try attacking this part of the city again. You're on yellow alert until told otherwise. Understand?"

[Aminee Starlight]

"Sector C of Barricade I has been secured. Rerouting all available resources into securing Sector A and B while maintaining defense of Sector C. The Netherrealm will not make it past the first barricade."

"Remember that the demon army has the ability to open up portals wherever they wish," began Kain from HQ. "I want everyone to be on their guard in case the Netherrealm decides to attack us in different locations in the hopes to gain ground or in case they try to make a run for the tower."

[Sincara]

"Yes, Mr. Kain. The Utopians are guarding the tower as we speak."

White Queen looked back to the monitors before her eyes as she sent the order. Her unmanned armored vehicles getting into position alongside the Strait Jacket unit as the Kari troops were ready, already anticipating where the demon army would strike next as White Queen used the camera and satellite feed to watch the battle continue to unfold.

[Ashley]

"Forgive me, My Lady, but I do not like the idea of us lying in wait when we could be doing more against the rest of the attacking forces in the city."

Phebe didn't understand how it benefited the fight having them wait here. Especially considering how handy their holy powers were in this fight but she would relent if this was truly Alex's wish.

[Alex]

Alex couldn't find it in herself to disagree with Phebe but that didn't matter. This wasn't simply a war of rush the enemy and attack. That was how Moon Valley and Jherrazad fell with little to no victories to show for it. They secured this sector for now and if the others were to fall they would have enough ground to fight back and reclaim what was taken. So they would stay here unless Kari wanted them to join with the others.

"I don't like it anymore than you do but those are my orders. Now spread out."

[Ashley]

"Yes, My Lady."

Ashley nodded and then turned around, joining with the other healers who split up across the area with the Aircano foot soldiers still present and kept watch for any sign of further Netherrealm activity but saw none. Phebe couldn't relax yet. Not until Miracle was back with them safe and sound and the Netherrealm hold on this land has finally been cut off for good.

[Sparda]

While the Aircano soldiers deliberated over their orders, Byakuya stayed on the move. The Shinigami was a blur of black and white, surrounded by whispers of pink, as he and the blades of his Zanpakuto stole away unstoppably through the advancing ranks of Netherrealm soldiers. Not a single weapon touched him, and naught was left in his wake but a river of blood and masses of ravaged corpses.

"Hado #32," spoke the Captain as he came to a halt beside Alex. His off hand was raised in the direction of a large group of charging Chaosrealmers advancing from their flank. "Okasen." He splayed his hand out horizontally, fingers apart, and a burst of yellow energy arced across his fingertips for a brief moment. Just as suddenly, it exploded outwards, a broad wave of destructive force that swept through the oncoming soldiers.

"With this small victory, we may yet turn the tide."